We are not all the ideal, liberated, and wonderful "Canadian" which we assume to be part of our national identity. We're not all there, but hopefully one day we will be. One day we can proudly proclaim that these wonderful positive stereotypes we hold dear to ourselves are complete, factual truths.

We need social reflection on the topic of religion to be able to separate superstition, fanaticism, and ignorance from legitimate expressions of religion. In learning about what true religion is, we can benefit from what it can contribute towards the progress of humanity and curb acts of ignorance and fundamentalism that are carried out in its name.

As you progress through medical training, you can often become a bit cynical and jaded, and next thing you know, you start making assumptions when you walk into a room. Unfortunately, we have all been guilty of passing judgment at some point in time. How can we stop ourselves, and others, from passing judgment?

Historically, prejudice of any kind could be freely expressed with few repercussions (emotional, legal, or otherwise) so long as there was a reasonable justification. Religion has often served as the justification, and has therefore facilitated an array of prejudice, from racism to sexism to homophobia. Over time, the use of religious beliefs to justify prejudice has tended to decline, but still persists -- especially when it comes to homosexuality.

In a recent study researchers called doctors' offices in Toronto while playing the role of a person looking for a family physician. Doctors' offices were 58 per cent more likely to offer an appointment if the caller mentioned that he or she had a high-status job than if he or she mentioned receiving welfare.

A couple of years ago, the Learning Coordinator for Safe Schools asked me if I would be a keynote speaker at their annual Gay Straight Alliance Conference under the theme: It Gets Better. Here's what I said.

One of my childhoods was happy. The B&W movies projected on our small TV screen, more often than not, contradicted the drama I was living in my own home movie reels. But there were exceptions. In fact, the images of our television's B&W movies were very real to me. Sidney Poitier was one of those images, and thankfully, he made repeat appearances.

We travel an average of 300 days per year and always thought no one cares what we wear on airplanes. Until Fox News online posted Flight attendant confessions. It surprised us to learn that the men and women who work the friendly skies are sizing us up so superficially beneath their neck scarves.

Like Yom Kippur of 1973, we are in an emergency situation. While Israel's enemies continue to plan war against the state or fund terrorism from a distance, others are warring against Israel from across continents.

I should be grateful that my government cares enough to protect me (at least this aspect of me; they seem far less concerned about homophobia). But instead, I feel singled out. It's especially awkward since I didn't feel that unpopular in the first place.

After 9/11, I didn't want people to think I was Muslim. "They" were going to make my life harder for something "we" never had a hand in. "They" were the ones responsible and I wanted nothing to do with it. Being referred to as Muslim quickly changed from a harmless mistake to a black mark.

The transference of the dark, hidden prejudices within our society is often a subtle process and in Canada these realities are never obvious on the surface. We are all subject to the same prejudices and preferences that permeate the social ether at large.